Principal accused of copying Kutcher speech is suspended

In this May 23, 2019 photo, Principal Kenny DeMoss gives closing remarks during Parkersburg High School’s 2019 graduation ceremony, in Parkersburg, W.Va. The West Virginia principal accused of plagiarizing Ashton Kutcher in the address to his school’s graduating class says he didn’t mean to use someone else’s work. DeMoss has issued a statement saying he should have cited his sources in the speech, but asserted the ideas were his own. (Michael Erb/News and Sentinel via AP)

PARKERSBURG, W.Va. (AP) — A West Virginia principal accused of plagiarizing Ashton Kutcher in an address to his school’s graduating class has been suspended without pay for five days.

The News and Sentinel reports that Parkersburg High School Principal Kenny DeMoss was suspended Tuesday at a Board of Education meeting. DeMoss apologized for heavily basing his May address on Kutcher’s 2013 Nickelodeon Teen Choice Awards speech. He has said that he should’ve cited his sources but that the ideas were his own.

A Facebook video highlighting the plagiarism spliced the speeches together. DeMoss said the video excluded a disclaimer that multiple sources informed his speech. Kutcher tweeted Saturday that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and cited Oscar Wilde for the quote. He then quipped that both “kids and faculty” should cite sources.